1. Field of Invention
This invention relates, in general, to the field of chain merchandising apparatuses and, more particularly, to an apparatus for merchandising chain which is provided with multiple adjustable shelves for receiving chain containers and further, having a selectively adjustable cutting mechanism attached thereto.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Consumers encounter a wide variety of situations requiring or facilitated by the use of chains. A few examples of these include suspending a child's swing, leashing a pet, anchoring a water heater or towing a vehicle. Each use may require a different type or weight of chain. The particular length of chain desired by the purchaser also varies widely. Accordingly, it is necessary for hardware stores and the like to provide many types of chain, preferably in bulk, so that the purchaser may select the desired length and style.
However, a number of concerns arise for the retailer who merchandises chain. For example, chain is inherently bulky and heavy. Therefore, a great deal of floor space is usually required to accommodate a significant selection of chain types and any apparatus used to hold chain in the store must be quite sturdy. Moreover, some method must be made available for cutting the chain desired by the customer and, in particular, cutting it to a preselected length. If a self-service system is provided, the area where the chain is displayed often becomes untidy and potentially hazardous as consumers in making their purchasing decisions pull out, examine and leave uncut lengths of various rejected styles of chains which subsequently become tangled in a heap upon the floor. This creates a safety hazard in terms of trip and fall accidents, a major concern in retail establishments such as hardware stores.
Also, if the consumer is allowed to cut his or her own chain, some cutting mechanism therefore must necessarily be made available, preferably in such a manner that it does not present a hazard to small children who may be allowed to wander unattended throughout the store. The alternative is to require that all chain be cut by store personnel, resulting in increased costs and often either an extended wait or a lost customer. In either case, known chain merchandising apparatuses lack measuring means and thus cause some chain to be wasted as incorrect cuts are necessarily occasionally made.
Further, it is desirable that there be some integral accommodation for drawing attention to the in-store location of the display and for providing information such as, for example, the brand of chain and/or the particular size of or use for the individual chain styles offered.
Heretofore, various open-sided, coverless display stands or racks have been provided for merchandising chain. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 244,412 issued to Messenger illustrates a merchandise display rack which could be used for supporting spools of various sizes of chain. Messenger does not teach any type of measuring device or cutter or any means for preventing the merchandise displayed thereon from becoming dusty, tangled and generally untidy.
U.S. Pat. No. 209,640 to Platky et al and U.S. Pat. No. 217,701 to Schlueter each illustrate a combined display stand and cutter for chain or the like. In each case, the cutter is fixed at the floor level and the stand is open, somewhat flimsy and limited in use to providing spaces for only a few sizes or types of chain. Neither provides any method for covering the chain to prevent dust accumulation, nor is a significant amount of cabinet wall surface area available for providing information to the consumer.
Thus in the long history of chain merchandising very little has been done to update chain displays in the interest of safety, advertising, efficiency and overall appearance.
Accordingly, it is among the several objects of the present invention to provide an apparatus for merchandising chain in retail establishments so as to clearly and neatly display a varied selection of chain in a neat, safe manner using a minimal amount of floor space and reducing waste. It is intended that the apparatus be capable of holding various sizes of containers of chain and that such containers be supported on shelves which are easily filled, emptied and refilled.
It is further among the objects of the present invention that the apparatus having the above attributes also have an attached cutting mechanism which is facilely adjustable and capable of being used by the consumer to measure a desired amount of chain and to separate that length from the source container thereof.
It is also among the objects of the present invention having the above features that the apparatus provide a method to at least partially enclose the containers of chain displayed therein so as to keep them relatively free from dust and other debris and to provide a surface area for displaying advertising or other information regarding the chain contained therein. It is intended that the chain merchandising apparatus of the present invention be capable of being supplied to the retailer in a number of parts to facilitate shipping and storage and to enable the retailer to easily assemble the unit on site by use of only a few conventional hand tools, such as a screw driver and wrench.
Thus, in furtherance of the above objects, the present invention is, briefly, a chain merchandising apparatus including a frame, a cabinet secured to the frame, and chain support means connected to the frame and located within the cabinet for supporting a plurality chain containers. A chain cutter is moveably fixed to the apparatus so as to be selectively adjustable in relation thereto.
Also in keeping with the chain merchandising apparatus of the present invention, briefly, the cabinet is provided with an upper portion and a lower portion. The chain support means, the cabinet upper portion and the cabinet lower portion are detachably connected to the frame and the chain cutter is detachably moveably fixed to the apparatus such that the apparatus may be disassembled and reassembled to facilitate shipping by a manufacturer thereof to a chain retailer and to further facilitate subsequent reassembly by such chain retailer.
Further in keeping with the above objects, the present invention is, briefly, a chain merchandising apparatus for use in combination with substantially box-shaped containers of chain. The containers are of at least one preselected size and have a face portion and at least one tab provided on the container adja a lower edge of the face. The chain merchandising apparatus includes a frame, a cabinet connected to the frame, and chain support means connected to the frame and located within the cabinet for supporting a plurality of chain containers. The chain cutting means are moveably fixed to the apparatus so as to be selectively adjustable in relation thereto and the chain support means consist of at least one shelf, each shelf having an upper surface, a front edge and a back edge and being provided with grooves in the upper surface thereof, the grooves extending substantially from the front edge to the back edge, and being spaced parallel to each other at a preselected distance so as to be adapted for receipt of the tabs provided on the substantially box-shaped chain containers, to thereby facilitate proper placement and movement of the chain containers on the shelves.
Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed hereinbelow.